Friday afternoon while working in the office I received a message from good friend and photographer Bernard Chen. He asked what I was doing for the weekend and if I wanted to head to The Outer Banks to shoot Bodie Island Lighthouse. I have been wanting to photograph here for some time now so I jumped at the chance to go. After agreeing to the six hour trip Bernard messaged me saying to make sure and bring boots because we would be getting in the marsh. I wasn't sure exactly what he had planned for this shoot but I trusted it would be good.

When I arrived at Bernards house in the morning he asked if I would help him load up the Kayak. Now I am sure this will be good!

After getting to Bodie Island at around 3pm we unloaded the kayak and prepared to set up our shot. Getting the kayak into position meant us carrying it about three hundred yards down the boardwalk to the edge of the marsh. Then came the fun part! Donned in our knee high boots we entered the grassy marsh with the kayak. We dragged the boat through the sometimes neck high grass and struggled wading through the sometimes knee deep muck. And the smell, lets not talk about the smell! After placing the prop where we needed it we waded back to shore to retrieve our camera gear and wait for sunset. Unfortunately sunset did not provide the light we had hoped for so we decided to get a hotel room and come back for sunrise.

When returning for sunrise the lack of clouds in the sky was a little disappointing, but we were here to get the shot and hoped the rising of the sun would light up the scene and make it as magical as we had dreamed up.

With our tripods set deeply in the muck we eagerly anticipated the sun coming up over the horizon and when it did we were not let down. The sun kissed the lighthouse with its golden glow and moved its way down to the grass and lit up the scene perfectly. All you could hear at that moment was the sound of birds and our shutters opening and closing almost rhythmically. This is it, this is the moment we strive for but this moment only last for a few seconds and then its gone. They key is to be there when it happens and capture it so you can keep it forever and share it with the world.